After years of silence and a name change, Ubisoft’s Animus Hub will launch on March 20th. It unifies contemporary Assassin’s Creed titles from Origins to Shadows under a single platform with narrative files to unlock, missions to complete, and rewards to earn.
Of course, there are still questions, but Ubisoft clarifies much in its new FAQ. Despite what was initially assumed, Animus Hub isn’t a standalone launcher – it’s integrated into Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and there aren’t any plans to make it separate.
Those with Origins, Valhalla, Odyssey or Mirage installed can launch them from within the Hub, though physical owners must insert the disc. Titles released before Origins are not supported. Furthermore, the missions within the Animus Hub, aka Anomalies, are playable only in Shadows.
Ubisoft also reiterates that the Animus Hub’s content is free and unlocked when playing the game. Additional missions and updates will also be free. The Keys used to earn rewards from The Exchange can’t be purchased with real money and are only available by completing Anomalies.
What happens if you’re offline? Memories will remain available, but you can’t access The Exchange, Projects or The Vault.
As for the future, Ubisoft touts “ambitious plans” and wants to “create new opportunities to tie together the Assassin’s Creed universe, our Modern Day story, and your favorite Assassin’s Creed games.”
“Launching within Assassin’s Creed Shadows is merely the first step of a long journey together. The Hub will continue to evolve and grow with new features, content, and rewards rolling out in the months and years to come.”
Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches on March 20th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out the story trailer, learn more about the Claws of Awaji expansion or read the PC requirements here.
